I bought a dog
bey
Registrant
I bought a dog. For a lot of reasons, this is a huge deal for me. I've lived for many years with a severe dog phobia, sometimes so bad i couldn't even say the word, yet here i am, 38 years old with my first dog snoring on the floor beside me.
His name's Rebel. To be fair to dogs, he's not really a dog yet. He's a three month old puppy. A big black Australian Shepherd, because i don't like to do things by halves. He came home at 8 weeks old, a black ball of adorable fluff. It couldn't have gone worse.
A few days into having him home, I was covered in dog mouth sized bruises. My pants all had holes in them. He bit hard and often. Constantly, really. I spent most of the day crying, perched where Jaws couldn't get at me while he growled and barked. On a leash he would spin and roll until he popped free of his collar, only to run over and bite me. He barked non stop at the toilet brush. My mood was tanking. I hated him. I hated myself for hating him. Finally, a friend came and picked him up. Failure at life, failed dog owner, I was gutted.
Feeling guilty and pathetic, I went to visit Reb. My friend showed me a couple things she had taught him and assured me he wasn't actually a hound from hell, just a nippy shepherd pup with no training. I went back. I started going every day. I had him over when she was busy. Before long he was back home for good. A giant furry puppy in my tiny apartment.
Now he goes to puppy class where we both learn about dog manners. Ok, mostly i am learning but he is a patient teacher. He has learned to walk on a leash fairly well, although he's tripped me up and put me in a snowbank more than once. He has changed from all teeth and trouble to some teeth and trouble. A taste for floorboards and a dirty sock hoarder, but we all have our vices. And me? I fell in love with him. We hit our stride - a "knock it off" stops most biting, I know when he needs a nap or when nature is calling. He still hates the toilet brush but, hey, maybe we all need an enemy.
Rebel sleeps in my doorway. He is my constant shadow. I wake up in the morning and get out of bed because he needs me. He makes me smile every day. He is the best bad decision i have ever made. This morning he jumped into my bed as the sun came up, lay down beside me and licked the side of my face. Then he bit me hard on the earlobe.
We are both a work in progress.
His name's Rebel. To be fair to dogs, he's not really a dog yet. He's a three month old puppy. A big black Australian Shepherd, because i don't like to do things by halves. He came home at 8 weeks old, a black ball of adorable fluff. It couldn't have gone worse.
A few days into having him home, I was covered in dog mouth sized bruises. My pants all had holes in them. He bit hard and often. Constantly, really. I spent most of the day crying, perched where Jaws couldn't get at me while he growled and barked. On a leash he would spin and roll until he popped free of his collar, only to run over and bite me. He barked non stop at the toilet brush. My mood was tanking. I hated him. I hated myself for hating him. Finally, a friend came and picked him up. Failure at life, failed dog owner, I was gutted.
Feeling guilty and pathetic, I went to visit Reb. My friend showed me a couple things she had taught him and assured me he wasn't actually a hound from hell, just a nippy shepherd pup with no training. I went back. I started going every day. I had him over when she was busy. Before long he was back home for good. A giant furry puppy in my tiny apartment.
Now he goes to puppy class where we both learn about dog manners. Ok, mostly i am learning but he is a patient teacher. He has learned to walk on a leash fairly well, although he's tripped me up and put me in a snowbank more than once. He has changed from all teeth and trouble to some teeth and trouble. A taste for floorboards and a dirty sock hoarder, but we all have our vices. And me? I fell in love with him. We hit our stride - a "knock it off" stops most biting, I know when he needs a nap or when nature is calling. He still hates the toilet brush but, hey, maybe we all need an enemy.
Rebel sleeps in my doorway. He is my constant shadow. I wake up in the morning and get out of bed because he needs me. He makes me smile every day. He is the best bad decision i have ever made. This morning he jumped into my bed as the sun came up, lay down beside me and licked the side of my face. Then he bit me hard on the earlobe.
We are both a work in progress.
